On first impression, the 1950s house situated on a city street in this north of downtown neighborhood seems rather unremarkable. The lot, though spacious and deep, is partially fenced and minimally landscaped. A paved drive leads to the backyard, which holds a small shed, a concrete terrace, and a fenced dog run.

The front door, accessed by an unprepossessing walkway, opens onto a large living room with gleaming hardwood floors, a fireplace with a marble surround and classic mantle, and built-in china hutches that flank a dining area. A closer glance offers the first hint– in the form of a couple of distinctly modern light fixtures– that this house may yield a few surprises.

To the left of the living room sits one of two master suites. With track lighting, a large closet, and an attached bath with upgraded fixtures, this space would function equally well as guest quarters or a home office.

Opposite the living area is the kitchen, which is arguably the centerpiece of the home. Renovated and expanded, this room features stainless appliances, loads of cabinets, a center island, and a roomy eat-in area, which could also be used as a family room. A tile floor done retro style with yellow and white tiles complements the recessed lighting and granite countertops, and a glass door accesses the terrace and the yard beyond. A counter along one wall tops an ingenious pet-storage feature: custom-built dog crates in place of cabinets where Rover can settle in for the evening.

On the other side of the kitchen, two bedrooms, one outfitted as a kid’s room with built-in shelves and a colorful paint job, share a full hall bath, and a private and spacious master suite sits at the far rear corner of the house. An entire wall of cabinets as well as two wardrobes and a shelf system ensure that this suite has plenty of storage, while several windows and a glass door leading to the backyard allow lots of light.

This master bedroom is roomy, airy, and bright, but the bathroom is the real attraction here with dual, but separate, granite-topped vanities, a marble floor, and an oversized walk-in shower finished in black and white tile.

Downstairs in the basement there’s a large finished area perfect for a home theater, a rec room, or an exercise area, and the unfinished portion, which houses the washer and dryer, is spacious enough to provide the opportunity for future expansion.

In addition to undertaking cosmetic and structural improvements, the current owners have also made an effort to increase energy efficiency. Dual zone HVAC units, a whole house fan, and a hot water recirculator help reduce consumption and lower bills.

Throughout this home there are numerous juxtapositions between the modern and the dated, but they manage to complement one another rather than clash. The bathrooms– excepting the one in the master suite– reflect the age of the home in terms of their dimensions, yet they’ve all been fully updated with new floors, lights, and vanities. And the owners paid special attention to providing above-adequate storage space during the renovation.

This house won't appeal to those seeking a project, but buyers seeking a move-in ready home that melds past and present in a city location may want to give it a look.

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6 comments

Pretty nice $135K house, but at near 300 talk about a liquidity trap...

William I. Betowed August 19th, 2012 | 2:53pm

I'd offer 'em $158K, but over 300? Not happening.

booooo! August 19th, 2012 | 5:16pm

$329K? Are you effin' kidding me???

wow August 20th, 2012 | 8:27am

The listing agent was enough to make me stop reading

boooo! August 20th, 2012 | 5:19pm

@ wow

ha, good catch, didn't even notice that. :D

Makes you wonder how many other people are going to skip right on by this listing merely because of who he is and the way he carries on. Buying this house means you put money in his pocket. No thanks!

Cville Eye August 20th, 2012 | 6:16pm

A lot of house for the price in Greenbrier. So many of those homes still need updating. The price also helps to keep out the riff raff and investment property seekers keeping that area predominantly owner-occupied.